Fordson Tractor Assembly Line at the Ford Rouge Plant, 1921

THF126010 / Fordson Tractor Assembly Line at the Ford Rouge Plant, 1921
01

Artifact Overview

Henry Ford developed the Fordson tractor to meet the needs of small farmers. Its lightweight, unit-body design was well-suited for the assembly line, and production began in 1917. The inexpensive Fordson quickly became the most popular tractor in America. Here, Fordson tractors are lined up for wheel installation in Dearborn, Michigan.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Photographic print

Date Made

08 March 1921

Subject Date

08 March 1921

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

84.1.1660.P.189.1309

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 8.25 in
Width: 10 in

02

Related Content

  • Henry Ford Driving Ford-Ferguson Model 9N Tractor at Hayden Mills, Tecumseh, Michigan, 1944
    Set

    Henry Ford: Tractors

    • 18 Artifacts
  • Workers Installing Tires on Ford Model T Assembly Line at Highland Park Plant, circa 1925
    Set

    Henry Ford: Assembly Line

    • 25 Artifacts
    Ford constantly tweaked Model T assembly lines at its Highland Park plant for efficiency. In 1914, wheels and radiators were conveyed to a platform and slid down ramps for installation on the same line. By 1925, wheels (with tires already mounted and inflated) were conveyed directly to workers, who installed them on both sides of the chassis at once.